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'Ho Ho Homophobia' - Police threaten arrest over Gay Pope poster.

Undercurrents | 24.12.2008 14:22 | Culture | Gender | Repression | World

Cops threaten gay catholic shop owner with jail for displaying a poster of the Pope.

The Poster on display in Portsmouth
The Poster on display in Portsmouth


On Christmas eve, Police have threatened a Portsmouth shop owner with arrest for displaying a poster today.The photo montage of Pope Benedict XVI with painted lips and eyelashes, holding a dildo with the caption 'Ho Ho Homophobia', was spotted by eagle-eyed cops this morning.

The poster is a reference to the Pope's end-of-year speech to senior Vatican staff. The Pontiff stated that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment.

Four Police officers have been sent to the Avalon shop on Fawcett road, Fratton to interview the shop owner about the colourful poster in his window.

Quoting section 4 of the Public order act ,Police informed the owner that if he failed to remove the poster and was found guilty, he could face imprisonment of up to 6 months.

Andrew, the owner of Avalon Headshop felt pressured enough to remove the A3 size poster. The twist is that Andrew is both Gay and Catholic.

However, three doors down the street a copy of the poster still remains on display in the window of a popular wholesale company. Police have now threatened to enter the premises to remove the poster themselves. Staff have politely replied to Police that it is a matter of free speech.

' The Pope has the world media to incite his views about Gays- we only have a shop window to give our views about the Pope' said a staff member.

Undercurrents
- e-mail: paulo@undercurrents.org
- Homepage: http://www.undercurrents.org

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

It's not a dildo ....

24.12.2008 14:51

.... it's a bong %0)'

Pedantic Pothead Pixie


Section 4 Public Order Act

24.12.2008 14:55

I think maybe the police meant section 4A of the Public Order Act, not section 4 (which involves the intent to provoke unlawful violence).

Public Order Act 1986
4A
Intentional harassment, alarm or distress.
— (1) A person is guilty of an offence if, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, he—
(b)
displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,
thereby causing that or another person harassment, alarm or distress.

 http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Primary&PageNumber=39&NavFrom=2&parentActiveTextDocId=2236942&ActiveTextDocId=2236959&filesize=4950

PS if they turn the poster so it faces inside the shop no offence would be committed.
But where's the fun in that?

Pedantic Arsehole


Bigoted remarks

24.12.2008 15:18

Well dead bodies of animals hanging in butchers shops causes me distress and I find that offensive, will that be stopped I wonder?? I am sure not. Selective totalitariansim.
We will soon need permission to breathe. If the pope makes remarks against homosexuality then it is fair game for gay people and others to take offense and make their own protest against such bigoted remarks, and I speak as a lapsed catholic (lapsed as I cannot condone such remarks, and no I am not gay)

anon


the pigs wont charge them

24.12.2008 18:46

I'd be prepared to bet that the pigs won't charge them. Basically the CPS would have to argue that the poster causes distress, not to them or any other actual person (such as a random catholic or the pope) but a theoretical person of sound mind and constitution. That would allow the defence to argue that depicting the pope with homosexual and transgender images photoshopped on is not offensive to such a person, yarder yarder yarder. It ahs the potential to be a messy political trial which the Catholic Church has very little to gain from and little public interest as far the CPS is concerned.

betting man


This is exactly why many religions only attract the fearful & fakers, downloadin

24.12.2008 19:25

g the pic now, worth displaying at my local community centre. Seriously havent police got better things to do than harrass shop owners or go around shooting kids with their fascist mates?.
No wonder people in general still dont trust coppers at all, because we know you dont really work for a true democracy, we still live in a system that really just represents the rich & not many are richer than the vatican.

another lapsed catholic


This is exactly why many religions only attract the fearful & fakers, downloadin

24.12.2008 19:26

g the pic now, worth displaying at my local community centre. Seriously havent police got better things to do than harrass shop owners or go around shooting kids with their fascist mates?.
No wonder people in general still dont trust coppers at all, because we know you dont really work for a true democracy, we still live in a system that really just represents the rich & not many are richer than the vatican.

another lapsed catholic


This is a sign from God

24.12.2008 21:44

It is clear that whatever deity the Pope claims to have a hotline to has got as fed up as everyone else. He's obviously decided to take down religion from the inside by getting his man down here to follow the most retarded line possible.

Steve


pontificating pontiff

24.12.2008 22:18

all this homophobia from a dude who wears frilly dresses all the time. methinks he doth protest too much!

pontificating pontiff


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